Thursday, November 30

I've been in love with Rae Dunn's ceramics for a long time now; ever since my friend Charles introduced me to her work. Rae's ceramic work is really fun, yet simple and elegant. I love it's purity, without taking itself too seriously. And it's very tactile - I want to reach out and touch it. Rae says her work is strongly influenced by the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi, "the beauty of things imperfected, impermanent and incomplete."

More of Rae's work can be seen in the ceramic gallery Verdigris that she co-owns and operates. Located in San Francisco's infamous Cannery Building, Rae shares this unique working clay studio and gallery with two other wonderful ceramic artists, Mary Mar Keenan and Christa Assad. I'll share more about these other very talented women another time.

I have been a fan of hers for a long time too. I have the napkin rings that say dine, share, eat, chow etc. and one of the little stones that says begin. I have also bought many stones to give as gifts. They are so inspiring to me. I would love to have some of her larger pieces someday.

I could spend forever in the Verdigris studio... I have been there several times and my husband has to pull me out of there, I never want to leave!

We had Rae Dunn create custom paperweights for our wedding and they are such nice mementos of that day. (I have them scattered throughout the house now.) She was so great to work with -- professional, prompt, and of course, she delivered a lovely product.